Part of a Whole
by Hatake Satsuki
Summary: Kakashi has been raising his son alone since Rin's death shortly after his birth. In those 5 years Iruka has helped Kakashi raise him. When Ranmaru starts asking questions, Kakashi comes to realize Iruka is more than just a friend & babysitter. KakaIru
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** This story was written for my friend i am the night angel. Her birthday was 2 months ago and here's her present! Ok, ok, I actually started it only a couple of weeks late, but I decided to not post here until it was finished. (Also I didn't want to be updating this at the same time I was updating Absolution. The main reason it took me so long to get her story written. :p)

In this story, you might need a little history in case it isn't obvious. Kakashi was married to Rin, and they had a son, Ranmaru. Rin died shortly after Ranmaru was born, leaving Kakashi to raise him alone, with the help of is friend Iruka. Hope you enjoy!

And I've decided to go ahead and post all three chapters at once, so you get to read it all now rather than having to wait.

* * *

Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder as he preceded his team through the village gate. Naruto had been sniping at Sasuke for about twenty minutes, and though Sasuke was ignoring Naruto as he usually did, Sakura had finally had enough. The sound of pain that came from Naruto, making Kakashi turn to look at his young students had clearly been caused by Sakura. Sighing, Kakashi turned back forward when he was sure the fighting wasn't going to get out of hand. He was always glad to return to the village after a mission, but he was even more happy to see the end of this one. Something must have been in the air, making his students clash even more than they usually did.

"Come on, Sakura! It's not like what I'm saying isn't true! Besides, I wasn't talking about you, why are you mad at me?" Naruto cried out behind him.

Sakura's reply was lost in the excited cries of Kakashi's rapidly approaching welcoming committee. "Father! Father! You're home!"

Grinning behind his mask, Kakashi dropped to one knee and spread his arms wide to catch his son as the boy hurtled himself into his father's arms. "Hello, Ranmaru," Kakashi chuckled in delight as he wrapped his arms tightly around his young son. "I am home, and glad to be. I missed you."

Squirming to get out of his father's grasp, the boy resumed speaking rapidly, words running together. "I'm glad you made it home in time. I was afraid you wouldn't be here for the entrance ceremony. You're going to come aren't you? You're not going to be busy with another mission?"

Kakashi let go of his son, looking down into familiar brown eyes that never failed to make him ache for so many things lost even as his heart welled with love for and pride in his five year old son. "I don't think the Hokage will send me out on a mission right after I come home from one. Besides, he knows you're entering the academy this year, and he'd not deny me the chance to attend the entrance ceremony."

Stepping back, Ranmaru propped his fists on his hips and looked sternly at his father, making Kakashi grin behind his mask again. "I'm glad you weren't late this time. You're always late!"

"That's because he likes to ruffle feathers," Iruka called as he ran up behind Ranmaru, panting.

Kakashi glanced up at the younger man and nodded a greeting before turning his attention back to his son. "I promised you I would be back in time for the entrance ceremony didn't I? And I always keep my promises."

"Yeah, Uncle 'Ruka said the same thing," Ranmaru sighed heavily. "I was still worried though."

Wrapping his arms around his son and standing up, Kakashi hugged the boy as he replied, "Well, you don't need to worry anymore, because I'm here now son."

Glancing back at his students who were still standing behind him, Kakashi shifted Ranmaru in his arms, settling the boy's weight on one of his hips. "You guys can head on home now, I'll turn in the report and let the Hokage know that you all did well on this mission.

Naruto, who had been watching the exchange between father and son with a sad longing in his eyes, brightened at the mention of being praised to the Hokage, then ran past Kakashi to Iruka, dragging the other man away for a talk. Sakura who had also watched the exchange, but with a tender smile, nodded her head, then smiled at Sasuke, stammering a goodbye before running off in the direction of her parents' home. Sasuke, having looked typically bored, grunted and turned, vanishing into the crowd.

"Can we go out for ramen tonight, Father?"

Kakashi sighed and turned back to look at his son. "I think you've been spending too much time with Naruto," Kakashi complained. When his son only grinned on reply, Kakashi laughed and shook his head. "I've got to go turn in my mission report, but I think your Uncle 'Ruka is taking Naruto to Ichiraku. If you ask nicely, he might let you tag along as well."

"You don't want ramen?"

"No Ran, not today. As I said, I need to get this report taken care of. I'll meet you and your Uncle 'Ruka later for some ice cream."

Squirming in his grasp, Ranmaru wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around his father's neck, hugging Kakashi tight enough to make breathing difficult. "Yay! We haven't had ice cream in a long time! Thank you, Father!"

Chuckling, Kakashi set his son on his feet and watched the boy dash over to Iruka, grabbing the chuunin's hand and tugging on it repeatedly as he talked. When Iruka lifted his head, looking in Kakashi's direction questioningly, Kakashi nodded and smiled. Lifting a hand, he waved to the three, then disappeared into the crowd, heading for the mission office to file his report, thoughts of spending some much needed quality time with his son filling his mind.

Kakashi heard his son's loud giggling before he managed to completely open the door. Stepping into the ice cream parlour, he stood to the side of the door so as not to impede the flow of traffic. Glancing in the direction the familiar laughter was coming from, Kakashi spotted his son and his friend sitting in a booth in the back corner of the small room, heads together as they discussed whatever it was that so amused the younger Hatake. Smiling, Kakashi started walking, never taking his eyes from the back of his son's head, watching the light play across unruly silver locks. Just before he reached the table, Iruka looked up and over his shoulder, smiling at Kakashi as he nudged Ranmaru. As his son turned an ice cream smeared face in his direction, Kakashi smiled and started walking a little faster. When he slid into the booth across from his son and his friend, Kakashi released a tired, yet content sigh.

Ranmaru turned in his seat, still grinning at Kakashi, his mother's brown eyes sparkling with his recent laughter. "Father, you missed it! Uncle 'Ruka and I raced to see who could eat their ice cream faster and I won!"

Pushing down the aching in his heart, Kakashi smiled at his son, catching the knowing, sympathetic look Iruka was directing him from the corner of his eye. "It looks to me like you smeared more on your face than you got in your mouth. Hardly seems like a fair win son."

"No, I ate all of mine! Uncle 'Ruka had to stop because his head hurt, so I win!" Ranmaru insisted, his face drawing up sternly, making him look more than ever like his mother with her eyes peering out of his young face.

"He's right, Kakashi. He beat me fairly. I should have known better than to challenge him I suppose. He _is_ a Hatake after all."

Kakashi grinned at his son bowing up with self-importance, but addressed his comment to Iruka. "You really think that highly of me? I didn't you know cared so much, 'Ruka."

Glancing over at the younger man to see the scowl, Kakashi laughed then turned his attention back to his son, leaning over the table and taking up a napkin to begin wiping the ice cream from his face. "Ok Ranmaru, you won. I'm happy for you. How about next time, you find something to compete with your Uncle 'Ruka over that won't leave you such a mess. You haven't looked like this since you were a baby."

Fighting down a grin as his son scowled at him as he'd known the boy would, Kakashi leaned back in his seat, waiting to get yelled at, and not being disappointed. "I'm not a baby! I'm going to start at the Academy tomorrow, and I'm going to graduate this year too! I'm going to be the best ninja ever! Better even than you and Grandfather Sakumo. One day, when I'm grown up, I'm going to be the Hokage after Naruto!"

Kakashi lifted his eyebrows and turned his head slowly to look at Iruka, who was smiling at Ranmaru. "Hokage?"

Iruka looked over at Kakashi and shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "Naruto's always talking about being the next Hokage. I guess he made it sound too good for Ranmaru to resist." Turning his attention back to the boy, Iruka tugged at one of Ranmaru's sleeves. "I think you'd make a fine Hokage, Ran."

Sighing, Kakashi leaned back in the booth and lifted a hand to rub his right eye. "Well, I suppose there are worse ideas he could pick up from Naruto. If my son starts running around yelling and being a general pain in my ass, I'm holding you responsible, Iruka."

Hearing the rustling of clothes, Kakashi dropped his hand away from his face in time to see his son slip from the other side of the booth and launch himself at him. Used to his son's tendency to leap into his lap this way, Kakashi had learned long before how to adjust himself quickly and into what position to save himself serious harm when his son landed. Catching the boy, Kakashi ducked his head and nuzzled the the silver hair, taking in his son's scent through the cloth of his mask. Sliding his arms around the boy, Kakashi tugged his son against his chest, hugging him tightly and feeling a hole in him beginning to fill. He always hated being away from Ranmaru, and looked forward to each reunion and the filling of that hole that was Ranmaru's spot in his heart.

"How come you don't like Naruto, Father?"

"Oh, your father likes Naruto, Ran," Iruka interjected before Kakashi could speak, "he's just being a grumpy old bear because he's tired from his mission."

Ranmaru twisted around in his lap and looked up at Kakashi. "Is that right, Father?"

"Yes, it is. I would think you'd be tired by now too. It's well past your bedtime after all."

When Ranmaru turned back forward and sat pouting in his lap, Kakashi turned his gaze up to Iruka, smiling his thanks to his friend for stepping in and reading him better than he expected, allowing him to give his son the answer he was too drained to come up with. Iruka smiled back, understanding lighting his eyes again.

"You've got a very big day coming up tomorrow, Ranmaru, don't pout. You need your sleep."

"But Uncle 'Ruka, Father hasn't been home long!"

"Don't worry Ranmaru, I've got some time off. The Hokage agreed that Team 7 earned a small break, so we won't be going out on another mission for a week. I'll not only be here for the entrance ceremony tomorrow, I'll be here you walk you home at the end of each day for your first week. Now how about we go home, get you ready for bed so you'll be ready for tomorrow?"

Ranmaru turned his head again, looking up at his father, the light in his eyes warning Kakashi that the dealing was about to begin. "Will you read me any story I want first?"

"Ranmaru," Kakashi began.

"Father! You've been gone for a long time. I like when Uncle 'Ruka reads to me at night, but it's not the same as when you read to me."

Knowing he'd been defeated, Kakashi sighed and looked pleadingly at Iruka, as if the younger man could help. "Ok, Ranmaru. You have to promise me that you'll be quick about getting ready for bed, or else it will have to be a shorter story."

Sliding out of his father's lap, Ranmaru stood at the side of the table and looked back at his father, grinning. "Ok, I promise!" Turning abruptly, Ranmaru reached out for Iruka, and the moment the brunette slipped his hand into Ranmaru's the mischievous light filled his eyes again. "Will you come too, Uncle 'Ruka? I want you to read with Father!"

Smiling, Iruka started to shake his head, but the look Ranmaru was directing at him broke his resistance and Kakashi had to bite back a chuckle as the younger man's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Shouldn't you ask your Father first? He might be too tired after his mission to have company over."

"I don't mind, Iruka. Besides, you're not company, you're family now. You're like a second father to Ranmaru."

Iruka smiled at Kakashi and opened his mouth to reply, but whatever he was planning to say was cut off when Ranmaru gave his hand a hard tug. "Come on Uncle 'Ruka!" Turning to his father, Ranmaru held out his other hand. "Come on, Father! I want my story."

Chuckling, Kakashi took his son's hand and slid out of the booth as Iruka slid out as well on the other side. Ranmaru tugged them both out of the ice cream parlour, but once outside he settled back to walk peacefully between them, holding their hands tightly in his smaller hands. Kakashi looked at Iruka over Ranmaru's head, catching the younger man's eyes in the pale moonlight, feeling another hole he hadn't been aware of filling inside his heart. Smiling, Kakashi looked away, enjoying the moment, feeling like his family was closer to being whole than it had been since Rin had been taken from him so soon after Ranmaru's birth.


	2. Chapter 2

Kakashi stood to the side, watching Ranmaru talking excitedly with his friends and fellow classmates. The sounds of conversation washed over him, the voices of proud parents and excited family and friends buzzing around him, only half noticed. When Ranmaru looked in his direction Kakashi smiled and lifted a hand to wave to his son, then moved a little further away from the crowd once the boy looked away again. Leaning against a tree, Kakashi watched the people around him as they went about their conversations as if they didn't have a care in the world.

_Ah, Rin, if only you could be here with us today. You would be so proud of Ranmaru, and perhaps I would feel more like celebrating with the rest of the proud parents. There is something missing in our life though, and I don't want Ranmaru to notice it_, Kakashi thought sadly.

"Kakashi? What are you doing over here all by yourself?"

Turning his head, Kakashi watched Iruka approaching from out of the crowd and smiled at the younger man, pushing away from the tree to stand straight. "Hello, Iruka. I suppose I'm just being a bit maudlin today. Didn't want to interfere with the air of celebration, so I came over here to watch Ranmaru in peace. I don't think I've ever seen him any happier than he is right now." After a pause, Kakashi glanced at his son, then grinned behind his mask and changed the subject. "Don't let Ranmaru run over you. You need to be as strict with him as you are with all of your other students. He _is_ a Hatake after all."

"You? Maudlin? Hardly," Iruka scoffed, then shifted the conversation, letting the subject change as Kakashi wished. "Don't worry, I made sure Ranmaru was put in my class to be sure that he didn't get out of hand. I know that boy entirely too well, so I know what tricks to expect from him. I don't think you have anything to worry about, however. Ranmaru will be a fine ninja some day, and I think he'll make a wonderful student until that day. Besides, if I could handle Naruto, I can handle any student they throw at me."

Kakashi chuckled and nodded, pulling his gaze away from his laughing son to look at the man he was standing with. "I suppose you're right there. I certainly don't envy you your job."

"Ah, I love my job," Iruka sighed happily. "I was born to be a teacher, I think. I don't know what I'd do without it."

"You'd find something else to make you happy. Perhaps start a family. You're great with Ranmaru, you're great with all the kids you teach, you'd make a wonderful father."

Iruka flushed and looked away from Kakashi. He started to reply, then stopped, frowning as he watched two boys nearby. After a moment he lifted a hand to Kakashi and muttered, "Excuse me," as he stepped away. Kakashi watched with faint amusement as Iruka intercepted the two boys, stopping a fight before it had barely had a chance to begin to brew. The breeze carried him the occasional sharp word as he lectured the boys. Leaning back against the tree again, Kakashi watched the other man, forgetting about his son and the hole in their lives for a few moments.

"Father?"

Kakashi blinked and turned to look down at his son. He was amused, but slightly disconcerted that he'd been so wrapped up in watching Iruka that he hadn't heard his son approaching him. "Yes, Ranmaru?"

"Why do you watch Uncle 'Ruka like that?"

Kakashi opened his mouth, then closed it, unsure how to answer the question. After a moment, Kakashi tried shifting the subject onto more stable ground. "You should be calling him Iruka-sensei now, Ranmaru. He is your teacher. You can call him Uncle 'Ruka at home."

Ranmaru nodded seriously, then braced his hands on his hips, looking at him sternly. "Yes, Father, I will. So, why do you look at Iruka-sensei like that?"

Kakashi sighed and rubbed at the back of his head. _I should have known better than to think I could dissuade him from his curiosity that easily_, he thought, then knelt in front of his son to look closely at him. "Does it bother you that I look at Iruka-sensei like that, Ranmaru?"

Ranmaru shook his head then smiled, looking more like his mother than ever. "No, I don't mind. I asked Iruka-sensei once why he looked at you that way and he wouldn't answer me either. I thought if I asked you why you looked at him like that I'd know why he looked at you too."

Kakashi blinked, stunned by his son's reply then turned his head to look at Iruka. The younger man had succeeded in breaking up the fight and was now talking to the parents of the two boys. As Kakashi looked at him, Iruka glanced over at him and an emotion Kakashi hadn't seen from the man before flitted through his eyes, too fast to be recognized. Smiling, Kakashi lifted a hand and waved to Iruka, then turned his attention back to his son.

"I hadn't really thought about it. I just look at him, I never really knew there was some special way I was looking."

Ranmaru nodded, then grinned at his father. "Uh-huh! You look at Unc- I mean, Iruka-sensei the same way Naruto looks at Sakura, and the way Sakura looks at Sasuke."

Kakashi blinked at his son, shocked to silence at what he was hearing. He searched desperately for an answer for his son, but couldn't seem to order his thoughts well enough to come up with a reply. To his relief, he was saved from having to reply by the arrival of one of Ranmaru's friends.

"Ranmaru! My father is taking me and Katsuya and Shingo out for _manju_ to celebrate. He said I could bring one more friend. Do you wanna come too?"

Ranmaru looked excitedly at his friend and started to nod, then stopped himself and looked back at Kakashi. "May I go out with my friends, Father?"

"But I thought we were going to have a celebration of our own tonight? I was going to make your favorite meal, remember?"

"Yes, but can't we do that later?" Ranmaru asked hopefully.

Chuckling Kakashi nodded his head and pulled his son into his arms for a quick hug. "Yes, you may go. We can just eat a little later than usual. Have fun, Ranmaru."

"Thank you, Father," Ranmaru cried in excitement as he dashed away with his friend. After only a few steps he stopped and spun back around to face his father. "Is Iruka-sensei coming to our celebration dinner?"

Kakashi lifted both eyebrows and smiled at his son. "Do you want him to? It _is_ your celebration after all."

Ranmaru nodded and bounced his weight back and forth from one foot to the other. "Yes, Father, I do!"

"Then I'll be sure he's there."

"Thank you, Father," Ranmaru cried again as he dashed off, disappearing into the crowd.

Kakashi watched Ranmaru until the boy was out of sight then leaned back against the tree once more. After a few moment's search, he found Iruka again, talking with a different group of parents. He watched the younger man, musing over Ranmaru's attachment to him. Iruka had been Ranmaru's regular babysitter since the day he'd been born. Kakashi knew from the start that his son with grow close to his friend, but he'd begun to notice that Ranmaru seemed to be growing more and more attached to the man lately. Sometimes he got the feeling that if he could, he'd convince Iruka to move in with them so that he need never be apart from the man he'd grown so close to. It never occurred to Kakashi to be jealous of the younger man's closeness with his son, although he did wonder if perhaps that was the proper reaction.

"Shouldn't you be bragging proudly about your son with the other parents?" a voice asked from Kakashi's left, drawing him from his musings.

Glancing over, Kakashi found himself looking at the Hokage and he smiled and bowed slightly to the older man. "Hello Hokage-sama. I don't know, I never felt the need to brag about my son or listen to other men brag about theirs. I prefer to let Ranmaru's accomplishments speak for themselves."

"Still, it seems strange that you'd separate yourself so completely from everyone. It's not like you to be completely anti-social, Kakashi," the man pressed.

"I'm just a little tired still from that last mission, and I have a lot on my mind right now. Besides, my memories of how the village felt about the name Hatake when I was young still burns bitterly in the back of my mind. They turned so quickly on my father, and then me just because I was his son. I don't want to bring any of that down on Ranmaru, so I'm content to let things move along as they will, while I remain quietly in the background."

"Things have changed since those days, Kakashi, you know that. The village is proud of the work you have done as a ninja. You are one of our best and brightest. Ranmaru is showing signs that he may eclipse you one day. You have every right to brag about him. One day, when he does surpass you, the village will be just as proud of him and love him as they now love you."

Kakashi shrugged and narrowed his eye, peering at nothing in particular in the distance, then changed the subject. "I'd be more worried about him surpassing _you_, were I in your position. He means to have your job one day. Naruto has put the desire to be Hokage in his head."

"Well, if he's even half the ninja his father is, he'll make a fine Hokage some day. _You_--"

"No," Kakashi interrupted him, giving his head a firm shake. "I thank you for the compliment Hokage-sama, but you know how I feel about that. I am a father and a ninja. Those are my only goals, and I am happy with them."

"I know that, Kakashi. I don't mean to press. I just thought you should know that nothing has changed."

Kakashi pushed away from the tree and bowed to the older man once more as he spoke. "Yes, you're right, nothing has changed. Including the way I feel about being Hokage. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to deliver a message to Iruka from Ranmaru, then I'm going to head back to my apartment for a nap before my son returns from his afternoon out with his friends."

Without waiting for a reply, Kakashi turned away and disappeared into the crowd. It only took him a few minutes to extract himself from the occasional conversation that caught him as he worked his way to Iruka. Once he was standing in front of the younger man, Kakashi felt better than he had for most of the afternoon. Smiling, he shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned a little closer to Iruka. "Ranmaru wanted me to invite you to our celebratory dinner tonight."

"Don't you two want to have a private celebration? You know, family?" Iruka asked quietly.

"Yes, we do. That's why I'm inviting you. You _are_ family Iruka. Ranmaru and I both love you and think of you as part of our family."

Kakashi barely noticed the flush of pleasure that lit Iruka's cheeks as he considered what he'd just said to the other man. He knew it was true, but for the first time he'd begun to realize that he felt something more than he'd thought. He was so distracted by his thoughts that he missed Iruka's reply. Clearing his throat and pulling his right hand from his pocket to rub at the back of his head in mild embarrassment, Kakashi grinned behind his mask at Iruka as he murmured, "I'm sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment there. What did you say?"

"I said I'd be happy to come. I think of you and Ranmaru as family, too. What time should I come over?"

"Well, if you come around five, you can help me cook so I don't have to do it all myself. What do you say?"

Iruka grinned at him and nodded. "Sounds good to me. I'll see you at five then."

Kakashi grinned again before turning and walking away, heading back to his apartment as thoughts of spending time with Iruka while Ranmaru was still out with his friends filled his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Iruka arrived promptly at five, just as Kakashi expected. Kakashi braced himself before pulling the door open, thinking: _This is certainly going to break the ice_.

"You're always on time," Kakashi mused as he motioned Iruka in.

"And you're always late," Iruka countered as he stepped into the apartment.

Kakashi knew the exact moment Iruka noticed because the other man stopped walking and a strange look crossed his face. Sighing, Kakashi turned away from Iruka and walked into the kitchen. "Go ahead, get it out of your system."

"Get what out of my system?" Iruka asked in a strained voice.

Sighing again, Kakashi turned back to face Iruka and lifted a hand to point a finger at him. "This is your only chance. Laugh now or forever hold your peace. This is assuming you don't hurt yourself from holding the laughter back."

A single giggle escaped Iruka, then he seemed to regain control of himself and the humour drained out of his face. He took a slow deep breath, then walked past Kakashi into the kitchen. "What if I decide to laugh later?"

"You'll hurt Ranmaru's feelings," Kakashi answered blandly as he stepped up next to Iruka at the counter.

"Ranmaru?"

"Yes, this was a gift from him. He told me that I shouldn't cook without an apron. He thought it was an important part of the cooking process. I think he was four at the time. Kurenai helped him pick it out."

"But, why pink?" Iruka asked, cutting a look at Kakashi from the corner of his eye.

Kakashi turned to face Iruka, smiling down at him from behind his mask. "He said he thought it was pretty. He thought I'd like it."

"How is it I've never seen you wearing it before now?"

"Because I've been very careful. You've never actually been in the kitchen with me while I'm cooking for Ranmaru. I delayed the inevitable as long as I could."

Iruka looked up at Kakashi grinning for a moment, then looked around the kitchen, frowning at the food that was clearly ready, the remnants of the cooking process all stacked neatly in the sink waiting to be washed. "You didn't really need my help did you?"

"No, I didn't. I finished everything just before you got here."

Iruka turned back to Kakashi, looking at him curiously now. "Then why did you want me to come early to help you?"

"I just wanted you to come early so we could have some time alone together."

"Well, I'm fine with that, but why now? What brought this on?"

Kakashi reached up and tugged at the sleeve of Iruka's shirt, then turned and started out of the kitchen, pulling the apron off and tossing it to drape over the back of a chair as he left the kitchen. He waited until Iruka had caught up to him before he replied. "It was something Ranmaru asked me earlier. It made me think very seriously about my life."

Iruka frowned, watching Kakashi closely for a few moments as they sat down in the living room. Shaking his head, Iruka turned slightly to watch Kakashi as he spoke. "What in the world has gotten into you, Kakashi? You're acting strange. You look like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"Maybe I do. I've certainly got the weight of Ranmaru's world on my shoulders." Kakashi paused, gathering his thoughts for a moment before he continued. "Tell me something, 'Ruka; how long do you suppose one should grieve for a lost love?"

Iruka blinked, leaning closer to Kakashi. "What's wrong? Has Ranmaru been asking about Rin again? He hasn't said anything to me."

"No, he understands about his mother. This isn't about Rin, this is about me. I still miss her, and I think I always will. I still love her, and that I _know_ I always will. But the ache of her loss isn't as sharp as it used to be. I've found that I've reached the point where I'm ready to go on with my life. It's been almost five years now. Is that long enough? Should I still be grieving for Rin?"

"I don't think there's any set time period for grieving Kakashi. It differs from person to person and from instance to instance. Your heart will let you know when it's healed. If you think you're ready to move on, then likely you are. Just don't rush into anything. Be positive for your sake, and for the sake of the woman you choose that it's what you really want before you get too deep."

Kakashi grinned behind his mask and looked away as the grin faded. "When I realized that I'd begun to fall for someone else, I felt guilty. Not that I was beginning to love someone besides Rin, but because I _didn't_ feel guilty for loving someone else. I felt like I should have felt guilty. I think it helped finding out that Ranmaru figured it out before I did, and he seems happy with the idea. At least, I think he's figured it out. At the very least, he knows something is going on because he asked me about it. He told me he asked you too, but you didn't answer him."

"Asked what?" Iruka asked with a frown.

Kakashi drew a breath to answer, but before he could utter a single syllable, the front door opened and Ranmaru strolled in, calling a goodbye to his friends over his shoulder. Kakashi looked back at Iruka, seeing the question in the other man's eyes just before Ranmaru stepped into the room, smiling at them both. Kakashi stood up and walked around the end of the couch to hug his son, and when he turned back to Iruka he knew the moment had passed. Iruka seemed content to let Kakashi focus the evening on Ranmaru as it was supposed to be. He never pressed the issue, but more than once as the evening progressed, Kakashi found the other man watching him quietly, a strange light in his eyes. At one point when Ranmaru had run off to his room for some object that he just had to show his Uncle Ruka, he told Kakashi quietly that as soon as Ranmaru had gone to sleep he wanted to finish their conversation. Kakashi was saved from having to reply by the return of his son.

Iruka never said anything else about what they had talked about after that, and gave no sign that he was even thinking about it. His earlier looks ceased, and every time Kakashi looked at him he found him always laughing with Ranmaru, or just smiling happily. The strange light had left his eyes, and life seemed to have returned to normal. Ranmaru requested that both men read his favorite story when he went to bed, each of them taking a different role and affecting separate voices for each character for Ranmaru's amusement. To Kakashi, the night was almost perfect and for a short while he was able to forget what awaited him on the other side of the nightly ritual with his son. It wasn't Iruka that reminded Kakashi however, it was his son.

"Father?"

Kakashi turned back from the door, smiling at his son, hand still hovering over the light switch. "What is it, Ranmaru?"

"You remember that question I asked you earlier?"

Kakashi blinked, remembering the question well and the conversation with Iruka it had spawned. "Yes, son, I remember."

"I think I know the answer now."

"Is this the question you were talking about earlier, Kakashi?" Iruka asked from behind him.

Kakashi nodded and stepped back into the room, waiting for Iruka to move back in to stand beside him before he replied to his son. "What do you think the answer is?"

"Well, I noticed while we were out that Daisuke's parents look at each other the same way you and Uncle Ruka look at each other sometimes. I asked Daisuke's mom why they looked like that and she said it was because they loved each other. You and Uncle Ruka love each other, right?"

"Of course we do, Ranmaru, and we both love you as well," Kakashi replied smoothly, feeling Iruka shift next to him, knowing that the moment of truth was on them.

"That's different. They're Daisuke's parents. That's a different kind of love," Ranmaru insisted.

"It is, but in many ways it's the same, Ranmaru."

"So, are you and Uncle Ruka going to get married and live together like Daisuke's parents?"

Kakashi fought not to glance at Iruka when he heard the soft, surprised gasp Ranmaru's question had drawn from him. Clearing his throat, Kakashi glanced casually at Iruka, then returned his attention to his son. "Well, I don't know about that. We may some day. Is that what you want? Is that why you're always finding reasons for you Uncle Ruka to spend the night?"

Ranmaru grinned, a sly look that made Kakashi grin himself as love for his young son flooded warmly through his chest. "I'd like that a lot. I love Uncle Ruka like he's my father too."

"Well, I love you too, Ranmaru," Iruka replied quietly, only the slightest tremble marring his voice. "I love you as if you were my own son. I've always told your father that."

"Do you love Father, Uncle Ruka?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then why don't you stay here with us?"

"When you put it like that, I can't come up with a single reason why not," Iruka finally replied with a chuckle.

"Your Uncle Ruka and I will talk about this with you more tomorrow, Ranmaru. You need to go to sleep now. You don't want to be late for your first day at the Academy do you?"

"No, Father. I love you. Both of you. Good night."

"Good night, Ranmaru, I love you too," both men replied in unison.

Kakashi finally reached out and flipped the light switch off and stepped out of his son's room, pulling the door closed once Iruka had stepped out into the hall next to him. Both men stood silently staring at the door for several moments, then finally turned at the same time to look at one another. Kakashi started to say something, then shook his head and took Iruka's hand, leading him down the hall back to the living room. Settling on the couch with Iruka sitting close, Kakashi leaned back and watched the younger man silently for a moment before finally saying the words that had been on his mind from the moment his son had come home and interrupted their conversation.

"_You_ are the one I've fallen in love with Iruka. It's been gradual and felt so right that I didn't notice it until Ranmaru innocently pointed it out to me this afternoon."

"I've been in love with you since we were kids, but I could never bring myself to tell you. I knew that if you didn't or couldn't return my feelings it would ruin our friendship. It was a risk I wasn't willing to take then. By the time I'd figured out that it was foolish to not tell you the truth, you were married and Ranmaru was on the way. I was happy that you were so happy. Even after Rin died, the thought of telling you I was in love with you never crossed my mind again. I'd grown to love the relationship we had."

"When Rin died it left a hole in my heart that I didn't think would ever be filled again. While I was busy raising my son and trying to help him understand who his mother was and how much she loved him, you filled that hole. You've been part of this family from the start, Ruka. How about we make it official? Would you like to be Ranmaru's other father?"

"Is that supposed to be a proposal?" Iruka asked incredulously.

"Something like that. Move in here with us. I don't ever want you to leave again. You belong right here with us. With the rest of your family."

"I see where Ranmaru gets it from," Iruka murmured as he smiled at Kakashi, leaning closer. "When you put it like that, how could I ever say no?"

"As if you wanted to," Kakashi murmured back as he pulled his mask down, revealing his face to Iruka for the first time just before their lips met.

* * *

**AN:** So, that's it! I hope you all enjoyed this little mini-fic. I've already got at least one more story in this reality planned. One day I may actually get a chance to write it. (If you think about chapter 2, I bet you can guess what that story will be! ;) Yes, I'll tell if you ask. lol)

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all reviews and faves!


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